


Promises, Promises

by jupiter_james



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Canon Universe, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sabriel - Freeform, Season 13 coda, pure wish fulfillment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2019-03-15 17:27:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13618164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jupiter_james/pseuds/jupiter_james
Summary: Gabriel is "back from the dead." Back with Sam.This is a little wish fulfillment for a Sabriel reunion.





	Promises, Promises

One would think that after all this time, Sam would get used to the impossible. And, in many ways he probably has. But this? This isn't impossible, it's _impossible_. So outside the realm of anything that can happen, it brings tears to his eyes. He'd prayed for this too hard. Wanted it too much.

"Gabe," he manages.

Gabriel can't talk. It's... there's not a word for how horrible it is. 

"What did they do to you?" Sam reaches out, but can't bear to try and touch because he's sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this is just a dream and Gabriel will disappear back into the ether the second that Sam even _tries_ to make it real. 

Gabriel closes the distance. He grasps Sam's forearm in a painfully tight grip. Sam sucks in a sobbing breath. Gabriel's haunted eyes focus right on him, _angry_ , and then... soft. Then his eyes roll back in his head and Sam's got himself a fully loaded deadweight in his arms. It's the best feeling he can remember.

And despite everything, the feeling continues as he hauls his archangel to the bunker. The feeling continues when Dean reacts with proper horror and amazement. The feeling continues when Castiel, with a kind expression, tells Sam to do what he can and he'll do the rest. Healing an archangel apparently takes obscene amounts of juice.

So Sam lays Gabriel out in his bed and brings in the stolen EMT bag and supplies. Exceedingly slowly, he uses the medical scissors and tweezers to carefully cut and remove the sutures from Gabriel's lips. 

He'd once told the mouthy angel that if he didn't shut up, he'd sew his damn mouth shut. It's not an amusing thought anymore.

"Eight years," Sam murmurs while he works, because the silence is starting to take away some of the reality again. "I'm going to be mad later since you probably faked your death _again_ , and didn't even bother to say goodbye, but you should wake up soon to take advantage of my worry before it turns to anger."

Gabriel doesn't wake up.

Finished with the sutures, Sam takes out a travel bag of cotton balls and the disinfectant. He winces with sympathetic pain when he dabs at Gabriel's lips because the archangel doesn't have the sense to wake up and flinch himself. "Leave it to me to do the hard work all the time," he whispers. But his hands are gentle.

Then Dean brings in a bowl with warm water and several washcloths. He sets it on the nightstand, and doesn't say anything. But he does give his brother's shoulder a firm pat and squeeze.

Sam nods, but his eyes don't leave Gabriel. They can't at this point. Not as he washes away the grime to unearth the face he loved for all that time. Missed for even longer. Still does both of those feelings.

He's turning back to the nightstand to set aside the last washcloth when he feels the brush of fingers on his arm. Gabriel's eyes are open.

"Welcome back," Sam says lamely.

Gabriel's smile looks an awful lot like a grimace. He might have forgotten the other one. After a long while, his thready whisper gets out a, "sorry."

Sam rolls his eyes with a puff of annoyance through his nose. "So, get this," he says. "I've thought you were dead for nearly a decade now. I've mourned you all that time. It's been the worst..." he swallows the rest. "It wasn't fair," he finishes.

Gabriel's fingers shake with fatigue as the slip down Sam's forearm to his palm. When he threads their fingers loosely together, Sam doesn't protest. It's the only apology he can give for the moment, and Sam is thankful enough that Gabriel is alive to at least take the apology, even if he can't accept it just yet.

"You made me a lot of promises back then, and you broke just about all of them."

Gabriel holds up a finger.

Sam nods. "Yeah, except for one. You _did_ come back. Maybe a few years too late."

Gabriel's head rolls on the pillow in a weak shake. Tears slip out of the corners of his eyes.

Sam thumbs them away. Opens the nightstand drawer and removes a stale lollipop. "Here's the thing," he says warmly, placing the promise on Gabriel's chest. "I waited. That's on you."

The grimace remembers how to be a smile. Gabriel nods, clutches the lollipop he'd left as a parting gift and promise on Sam's pillow those eight years ago.

Sam kisses his cheek, then the corner of his lips. "Stay with me," he can barely bring himself to beg.

Gabriel turns his head, pressing into Sam's neck. "Yes," he croaks. "Anything for you, Samshine.


End file.
